were a perfectionist.” Jarrett smiled at her and the power in his smile made her weak. That smile...it was what attracted her to him long ago. Not his great, killer bod or his quiet intellect. That 10,000-watt smile. When he turned it on her, giving her his full attention, she felt like the center of his universe. She, who had been ignored by a father more interested in his business and a mother more concerned with her society parties, mattered the most to this man.
Lacey set the jar on the shelf among those she’d intended to keep, her heart squeezing painfully. Jarrett had another lady who came first—the Navy.
Duty before love.
They walked into the room. Jarrett’s gaze went from the stacks of crates and packing to a bottle sitting by the table. He went to the empty bottle, turned it upside down. There was a set of keys beside the bottle.
Her temper rose as she grabbed the keys. “Now I know why Pierre didn’t see anything.”
Jarrett sniffed the bottle. “Doesn’t help when your security guard has been drinking all night.”
“Job hazard in this country. I’ll have to fire Pierre. Total security fail. Damn it.”
He raised a dark brow, and the cynical expression on his face kicked in all her defenses. Maybe he perceived this as evidence she couldn’t hold her own out here, even though she had done it for years.
“One bad call in giving a guy a chance doesn’t make it a total failure.”
She blinked in surprise at his understanding and sought to regain her lost composure. “I’m not upset about that. I’m mad because that was a damn fine bottle of wine I’d been saving.”
His full mouth quirked in a sexy little grin. “That’s the spirit. I’ll find you a new security guard, screen him and have him start right away. I’m sure there are guys Ace can recommend on the island.”
Her mind zipped through the figures it would cost. The type of security Ace would recommend would strain her already screaming budget. “Things are a little tight in the pocket...”
“I’ll pay for his salary.”
“I don’t need your help,” she started. Jarrett raised a brow and she sighed. “All right. But I’ll pay you back after I get the check from the restaurants that ordered the mango marmalade.”
“Deal.” He whipped out his cell phone and sent a text.
As he tucked the phone away, his relief was obvious. “You’ll be doing me a favor, Lace. If you had someone on that front gate who knew how to hold a weapon, a trained professional, I could sleep at night.”
“Me, too. Maybe. Lately that’s a challenge, even with a glass of red wine.”
Jarrett smiled, looking lost in thought.
“Remember when we made the wine after I came home from the tour of Iraq?” He stepped closer, ran a hand down her arm. She shivered with pleasure at the contact.
“I remember how drunk you got me.” Her voice dropped. “I remember...what we did afterward.”
Jarrett’s gaze grew heated. “Every time I cracked open a bottle of wine, I remember what I did with you. Every single moment.”
Lacey hurried through the room, her body tingling. She had to put him at a distance. So many memories, and here he was before her, like a gift she never asked for.
A gift that could lead to heartache all over. She didn’t need this heartache.
And even if Jarrett Adler meant to stay for the foreseeable future, it didn’t matter. She couldn’t risk falling in love with him and ruining her life again.
This time it would be different. He wasn’t going to stick around, anyway. He’d get the call to return to base, and return to being a SEAL. Men like Jarrett Adler never did stick around.
CHAPTER 5
T his time it would be different. Jarrett planned to stick to her side until she screamed.
Once he’d made her scream a different way...in bed. That memory had his blood surging hot and thick. He remembered her blue gaze dazed with pleasure as he’d slowly thrust into her, their naked bodies achieving a mutual rhythm and
Lacey set the jar on the shelf among those she’d intended to keep, her heart squeezing painfully. Jarrett had another lady who came first—the Navy.
Duty before love.
They walked into the room. Jarrett’s gaze went from the stacks of crates and packing to a bottle sitting by the table. He went to the empty bottle, turned it upside down. There was a set of keys beside the bottle.
Her temper rose as she grabbed the keys. “Now I know why Pierre didn’t see anything.”
Jarrett sniffed the bottle. “Doesn’t help when your security guard has been drinking all night.”
“Job hazard in this country. I’ll have to fire Pierre. Total security fail. Damn it.”
He raised a dark brow, and the cynical expression on his face kicked in all her defenses. Maybe he perceived this as evidence she couldn’t hold her own out here, even though she had done it for years.
“One bad call in giving a guy a chance doesn’t make it a total failure.”
She blinked in surprise at his understanding and sought to regain her lost composure. “I’m not upset about that. I’m mad because that was a damn fine bottle of wine I’d been saving.”
His full mouth quirked in a sexy little grin. “That’s the spirit. I’ll find you a new security guard, screen him and have him start right away. I’m sure there are guys Ace can recommend on the island.”
Her mind zipped through the figures it would cost. The type of security Ace would recommend would strain her already screaming budget. “Things are a little tight in the pocket...”
“I’ll pay for his salary.”
“I don’t need your help,” she started. Jarrett raised a brow and she sighed. “All right. But I’ll pay you back after I get the check from the restaurants that ordered the mango marmalade.”
“Deal.” He whipped out his cell phone and sent a text.
As he tucked the phone away, his relief was obvious. “You’ll be doing me a favor, Lace. If you had someone on that front gate who knew how to hold a weapon, a trained professional, I could sleep at night.”
“Me, too. Maybe. Lately that’s a challenge, even with a glass of red wine.”
Jarrett smiled, looking lost in thought.
“Remember when we made the wine after I came home from the tour of Iraq?” He stepped closer, ran a hand down her arm. She shivered with pleasure at the contact.
“I remember how drunk you got me.” Her voice dropped. “I remember...what we did afterward.”
Jarrett’s gaze grew heated. “Every time I cracked open a bottle of wine, I remember what I did with you. Every single moment.”
Lacey hurried through the room, her body tingling. She had to put him at a distance. So many memories, and here he was before her, like a gift she never asked for.
A gift that could lead to heartache all over. She didn’t need this heartache.
And even if Jarrett Adler meant to stay for the foreseeable future, it didn’t matter. She couldn’t risk falling in love with him and ruining her life again.
This time it would be different. He wasn’t going to stick around, anyway. He’d get the call to return to base, and return to being a SEAL. Men like Jarrett Adler never did stick around.
CHAPTER 5
T his time it would be different. Jarrett planned to stick to her side until she screamed.
Once he’d made her scream a different way...in bed. That memory had his blood surging hot and thick. He remembered her blue gaze dazed with pleasure as he’d slowly thrust into her, their naked bodies achieving a mutual rhythm and
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